Our JBG logo, courtesy of Ryan Rhodes

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective… Till We Meet Again, Hergotz Lane
• “The Night Shift”, by Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Help JBG at the Farmers Market!
• Slow Food Fundraiser: Texas Artisan Showcase, June 26th
• An Interview with Ryan Rhodes: Texas-raised artist, designer, and gardener
• New Arrivals at JBG (Meow!)
• Fast Veggie Facts

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

• Spaghetti with Shellfish and Burst Cherry Tomatoes
• Potato and Fennel Gratin
• Vegetable Medley with Tomato Confit and Melted Leeks

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

We're beginning our next succession of planting for the late summer

1) In Your Box this Week

Cherry and Early Girl Tomatoes
Eggplant
Sweet and Hot Peppers
Onions
Potatoes or Green Beans
Basil
Melons
Summer Squash
Garlic

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective… Till We Meet Again, Hergotz Lane

Hergotz Lane has given us its last vegetable.  We are now 100% at River Road Farm.  Of course we’re still here at Hergotz.  Carrie is still in the office and Matt is still in the barn, but all the vegetables are over at River Road.

Brenton and Travis ordered some Rye cover crop to plant on Hergotz this fall, which will return nutrients to the soil and let Hergotz Field “rest.”  Cover cropping and crop rotation is an important part of organic farming.  It reduces pest problems and ensures a health soil for better growing.  We’re letting Hergotz rest for now, just as we’ll do to River Road in a few years, when we till in the rye and reawaken the field here.  Until then, Hergotz!

• “The Night Shift”, by Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

It’s easy to forget that while we gardeners and farmers see our plants and soil mostly during the day, there’s a round-the-clock night shift too…

On a recent Slow Food farm tour of East Austin’s Springdale Farm, owners/famers Glenn and Paula Foore mentioned that they’re planning on building a home on the farm. Their incentive: to be able to easily walk their fields after dark order to see who’s working the night shift. This reason for wanting to live on the farm surprised me, so the comment stuck. I had simply assumed that bugs are active in the garden just when I am and that’s during the day time. Well, as it turns out, day time bugs make up only half the picture.

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Help JBG at the Farmers Market!

You say you want to workshare for JBG, but your schedule doesn’t vibe with our workday volunteer slots?  Well, now you have a chance to volunteer at one of the JBG farmers market stands on Saturdays and Sundays!  JBG currently has multi-tent stands at the Barton Creek, Downtown, Sunset Valley, Triangle, and Hope farmers markets, and we could use some help keeping our stand look stocked and fresh!  Volunteers will be responsible for helping our interns in setting up the stand, stocking produce, making sure signs are up, and any other market-related duties assigned to them. In return, they can take home their choice of 10-12 veggies from our stand!
Saturday Markets (Barton Creek, Downtown, and Sunset Valley) run from 9am to 1pm.  The Sunday Market (Hope) runs from 11am to 3pm.  Volunteers must meet our market crew at their market 45 minutes to an hour before market begins.  When the market ends, volunteers will help our interns break down the stand, and then they are free to go.

Interested in volunteering with JBG at our market stands on the weekend?  For more details and to arrange a volunteer day, email Carrie at farm@jbgorganic.com.

• Slow Food Fundraiser: Texas Artisan Showcase, June 26th

Date: Saturday, June 26th
Time: 4:00 – 8:00pm
Location: Space 12

Take part in this delicious revolution while sampling palate pleasing artisan foods that are all “good, clean and fair.” Enjoy what makes our state taste great: from beers and breads, cheese and charcuterie, to coffee and tea!  This family-friendly event will feature live music, a marketplace, silent auction, educational producer demos and a live auction finale by Dai Due Butcher Shop’s Jesse Griffiths you won’t want to miss!

For $60 ($55 for Slow Food members), you’ll get to enjoy 12 tasting stations, plus 6 more chances to revisit your favorites! Each station will serve a small “flight” of samples. Budget-conscious Slow Foodies have the option of a 12-punch ticket for $40 ($35 for Slow Food members).

Buy tickets here.

• An Interview with Ryan Rhodes: Texas-raised artist, designer, and gardener

Ryan Rhodes is the artist behind JBG’s new logo–the t-shirts, the bags, the boxes, even the market stand!  Even when working under a tight deadline, Ryan always manages to come up with something brilliant.  Texas born and bred, Ryan loves Austin, art, and his garden on Holly Street–the same one Brenton started in!   Recently, Carrie sat down with Ryan so our CSA members could get to know him a little better.

JBG: Where are you from?

Born and raised in Corsicana, Texas, a small town 1 hour south of Dallas. Not a whole lot to do there growing up, but if you have buddies like I had, there’s tons to do… go four-wheeler bob sledding, emu poop-boarding, creek hypothermia challenges, or build your own skateparks with obstacles from curb trash. I also spent a lot of time at my grandparent’s farm exploring acres and acres of countryside. There’s nothing like being a kid and having open land available to you.

JBG: How long have you lived in Austin?

I moved to Austin from San Marcos in 2003… so about 7 + years.

JBG: What brought you to Austin?

Friends. Hands down. While I was going to school in San Marcos, I’d come to Austin as much as I could to hang out with buddies and skate all over town. I’ve wanted to live here ever since. I’ve lived in Texas my whole life, so I actually tried to get a job outside the state when I graduated. I drove all over the western US in search of a job, sleeping in parking lots, but it was a horrible time to be looking and still ended up landing a job in Austin. I couldn’t be more happy here.

JBG: When did you start working as a designer?

In 2003, about 7 months after graduating. In those 7 months, I slept on my buddies’ (Hall and Mark) couch, drove back and forth from Austin to San Marcos to work, and spent nights working on my portfolio. Once I got my book together, I headed west to find a job and came back a month later, humbled, with 50 bucks in my pocket. My friend Craig Crutchfield called me up one day while I was interviewing in Dallas—my last straw. He told me to get my rear back down to Austin to work with him. He saved me from settling for a mediocre job. Thanks dude.

JBG: How would you describe your approach to design?

My approach has always been to treat every job with the same attention to detail and quality. No matter how small the job. I work a lot on the computer, but I try to make things with my hands as much as I can. Custom is something that I believe in. If you have a brand, an idea, or anything… you have to separate yourself from the crowd. I never want to create something that you can get just anywhere… it has to be special in one way or another. It’s a challenge. Simplicity and timelessness are other challenges that I struggle with and strive for. I want to look back and be proud of the things I’ve made for myself and others.

JBG: How did you start working with JBG?

By chance. I came back from a trip about a year ago, and found out that the house I was living in at the time had to be sold. My girlfriend, Renee, found Brenton and Beth’s old house on craigslist, and I fell in love with the backyard. I met up with Brenton to look at the house and we just hit it off. I had instant respect for him… he told me that he built the backyard apartment I’d be living in, that he just quit his day job to be a full time farmer and took me out to the farm. I was impressed. It was inspiring to meet someone that was just going for it… it gets you pumped to just go for it yourself.

JBG: How did you create the designs you did for JBG? What is the philosophy behind it?

There’s no deep philosophy behind it really. There’s just that gut feeling you get when you see something and it just feels right. Hard to put in words I think without sounding really silly. When I started exploring designs for JBG, I had just finished a poster of a quote my dad said to me as a kid all the time, “Can’t never could.” Always stuck with me. I made the lettering using pieces of wood that had been inked and printed. So I tried to do some illustrations or beets and carrots and making the letters JBG with those pieces. It felt right. It reminded me of plotted farm land, or crop circles, or quilts. It was very elementary to a degree, a back to basics, building block exercise for me. And then I realized that a farm is very much like that. Using what you have… the land, the equipment, your hands, hard work, different people from different backgrounds… and putting those pieces in action to produce something that changes seasonally. Much like the boxes of produce, you never get the same thing twice. There’s a system, but it’s a very organic one, pardon the pun.

JBG: How do you like living at the former JBG location?

Hands down… best place I’ve ever lived. In the last couple of years, I’ve been reducing the clutter in my life and trying to live a more simple life. This place is totally conducive to that way of living. And I can actually live off of the land here… Brenton put magic in that dirt or something. I’ve never tried gardening until I moved here… and I’m having great success. I love it, I hope to garden for the rest of my days.

JBG: How long have you been gardening?  Taking care of chickens?

Since I moved in last year in August? I think. Matt, packing shed manager on the farm, used to live in the house before me. He and his wife left some plants in a small garden for me and herbs near the house. I managed to keep those alive for most of the summer and then I lost them in the fall. Immediately, I loved the benefit of having fresh food right outside my door, so I decided I’d start a new garden, about 14′ x 14′. I planted carrots, spinach, beets, radishes, chard, broccoli, and scallions straight into the ground from seeds. Couple of weeks later, I was blown away. I was actually growing something and it wasn’t dying. Just being outside and getting my hands dirty is one of my favorite things… I had forgotten where I’d come from and this was a nice reminder. Chickens soon came after. With a giant coop already built, it made it really easy to do… I don’t know why more people don’t have chickens. There’s some weird engrained need to take care of livestock that I got from my dad, I think.

JBG: What are your goals for the future?

Work more with my hands. Learn how to build/make/craft everything. Ride my bike more. Be a better gardener. Be a better cook. Skate while I’m still able. Spend more time with friends and family. Push myself in my work. Try to live a life working for trade. Build a tepee in my backyard. Do work that I believe in with people that I like. Most importantly, have fun.

You can see more of Ryan’s work at www.biggerthangiants.com

• New Arrivals at JBG (Meow!)

We still have our adorable farm kitties here, waiting for adoption!  Neysa would take one but she already has two kitties.  Carrie desperately wants one but her partner is allergic.  Help these cuties find a good home!  If you’re interested in adopting a kitty, please email our office at farm@jbgorganic.com

• Fast Veggie Facts
  

4) Quotable Food

“Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is” –Irish Proverb

5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

• Spaghetti with Shellfish and Burst Cherry Tomatoes

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2-3 dried chile de arbol peppers (or crushed red pepper)
• 1/4 pound pancetta, small dice
• 1/2 onion, sliced thinly into half moons
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, yellow and red
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 pound mussels, beards removed and rinsed
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• Handful fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Place a large sauce pan or roasting pan over medium low heat.  Add the olive oil and chiles and allow it to heat gradually to infuse the oil, for 5-10 minutes.  Add the pancetta and cook until it renders, about 3 minutes.  Add the onion and cook until translucent.  Add the tomatoes and garlic and sauté over medium heat for about 1 minute.  Add the wine and the shellfish, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.

Place the pan in the oven and roast until the tomatoes begin to burst and the shellfish has opened, about 10-12 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente, drain, transfer to a serving bowl and keep warm.

Remove the pan from the oven and discard any unopened clams or mussels.  Discard the chiles and season to taste.  Using tongs, arrange the shellfish on top of the pasta and pour the sauce on top.  Garnish with basil leaves and serve hot with crusty bread.

Cook’s Note: Before serving mussels or clams I like to place them in salted water with a little fine cornmeal for 30 minutes.  It’s an old trick to try to get them to expel any sand.  If you prefer a sauce with more body, whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter to the hot liquid before pouring over the pasta.  Enjoy!

• Potato and Fennel Gratin

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 bulb fennel, green parts and core removed, sliced thin
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 6-8 medium new potatoes, any color, scrubbed and sliced thin on a mandolin
• 2 cups cream
• Heavy pinch garlic powder and onion powder
• 2 cups shredded cheese, young gouda or gruyere preferred
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the olive oil and butter to a large sauté pan and melt over medium heat.  Add the fennel and onion and cook gently until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the sliced potatoes, cream, and garlic and onion powder.

Butter the bottom and sides of a high sided baking dish.  Layer 1/4 of the potatoes on the bottom, ladling some of the cream over them.  Spread 1/3 of the cooked onion-fennel mixture evenly over the potatoes.  Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Continue these layers until you end up with potatoes and cream on top.  Use the remaining cheese to top the gratin.

Bake for 1 hour or until the cheese is browned and the potatoes are tender.  Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes, before serving.

Cook’s Note: This is a great fennel recipe for fennel haters!  I like to leave the skins on the potatoes.  Not only will you get more nutrients but it adds a texture contrast as well.  Do not rinse the sliced potatoes in water before using – you want the excess starch to help thicken the cream.  Enjoy!

• Vegetable Medley with Tomato Confit and Melted Leeks

Tomato Confit:

• 6 plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Black pepper

Melted Leeks:

• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced very thinly crosswise
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Sea salt

Vegetable Medley:

• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1 zucchini, sliced thinly
• 1 squash, sliced thinly
• Sea salt and black pepper

Prepare the tomato confit:
Set oven to 300 degrees.  Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and remove the core and seeds.  Discard the seeds and pulp and keep the tomato “petals”.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat the tomatoes.  Spread the petals in a baking dish.  Pour the remaining ingredients from the bowl over the tomatoes.

Bake the tomatoes until they are shriveled and dark red but not burned.  This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and cool in the pan.  Transfer tomatoes to a cutting board and slice them in thin strips.  Place back in the oil and set aside.

Prepare the melted leeks:
Melt the butter in a pan over low heat.  Add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt.  Let the leeks cook very slowly until they become translucent, 10-15 minutes.  Do not allow the leeks to brown.  Set aside.

Prepare the vegetables:
Add some of the flavored confit oil to a pan over medium heat.  Add the carrots, green beans, and 1/4 cup water.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the cover and add the zucchini and squash and cook until tender.  Add the tomatoes and melted leeks and toss.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Cook’s Note: Got excess tomatoes?  Make confit!  Covered in oil they will hold for a week in the fridge.  The flavor is so concentrated and rich.  It’s incredible.  Enjoy!

6) Produce Storage Tips

Leeks will exude an aroma that can be absorbed by other things in your refrigerator, so to store them before cooking, lightly wrap them in plastic wrap to contain the odor and moisture. Do not trim or wash before storing. Store in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.  Leeks will store for up to two weeks.

Maxim and Melanie are interning with us for the month of June, all the way from France! We're all parlez vous-ing some francais

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742
Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-Th 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 12pm

The farm office is closed 12 pm to 1 pm for lunch.

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 at 3:02 pm and is filed under Newsletters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.